How Do I Pursue a Crippled Duck Without Tresspassing

This came up in my office last week. What if the bird falls or swims across a property line from public land to private land. Is it legal to cross the property line to retrieve the bird or is it considered trespassing? My coworker said he was told that without permission from the landowner its trespassing, he is hunting on the private land in question. If that’s the case, it falls under the wanton waste rule if you don’t make an effort to retrieve the bird. msdeltadawg

From what I understand…you leave your gun and go DIRECTLY to and from said bird on private property. I could be wrong…every state is different. dux be us

I would also say to leave the gun to retrieve the cripple….when it comes to trespassing, I would say it would be the leaser issue if you were legitimately retrieving downed game/unarmed. The federal boys don’t play when it comes to wanton waste and can and will count every bird that goes down against your limit….retrieved or not…to not attempt to retrieve a duck/goose will get you severly scrutinized on every aspect. Barq’s

No one is going to advise you to break one law in order to follow another. Make a reasonable attempt.

Also use common sense. If your birds are gonna fall somewhere you know it’s gonna be dern near impossible to retrieve them, don’t pull the trigger. wingman

Make a reasonable attempt. go over there, see if you can get the bird is what I get out of it. Ask permission to go get the bird.
Rob isn’t here to interpret the laws to us. He can’t legally say you should leave it, or trespass. His bosses would have is butt for telling the whole internet to break either law. teul2

Yall are making this harder than it really should be. If you shoot a duck go get the duck. If you neighbor says you can not go onto their property then do not hunt close enough to have to go onto their property. If you don’t know and you are scared to walk a couple 100 yards onto anothers property to retrieve your game then call the owner. If he says no the leave it and you will be OK. bulldog ducker